


this is how you make a marriage proposal

by whataboutpierre (sunflowerwithfeelings)



Category: Les Misérables (2012), Les Misérables - All Media Types, Les Misérables - Victor Hugo
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cosette And Enjolras Are Siblings, Domestic Fluff, Engagement, Eponine and Combeferre know all tbh, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Modern Era, Romantic Fluff, this has nothing to do with falsettos i just like the title
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-20
Updated: 2017-07-20
Packaged: 2018-12-04 17:58:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,012
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11560431
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunflowerwithfeelings/pseuds/whataboutpierre
Summary: “Enjolras, will you marry me?”Enjolras froze, his eyes on the ring in the box. His face showed no emotion, which scared Grantaire to pieces.“No…” he gasped.





	this is how you make a marriage proposal

**Author's Note:**

> I just finished Sense8 and i have _f e e l i n g s_

Grantaire had moved into Enjolras apartment not too long after they started dating. Call it fast, whatever, but the reason was because of Grantaire’s fucking weird landlord who snuck into his apartment one morning and scared the living shit out of Enjolras after he emerged from the bedroom in nothing but one of Grantaire’s old shirts. He spilled his morning coffee and without further argument, Grantaire nodded his head and packed his things. 

That was roughly four years ago.

Enjolras decided a couple of years back that he'd rather teach law, better to sit and bicker with students than with pretentious congressmen and lawyers. It was a better use of his time. To inspire younger minds because they were the future and whatever. He'd given Grantaire a whole speech on why he was changing careers but in all actuality, Grantaire didn't need to hear it. Enjolras was a teacher, a leader, already. When Enjolras finished and asked for Grantaire’s thoughts, he just smirked and kissed his neck.

But finals were a bitch. When Enjolras brought home a stack of essays to grade, Grantaire almost fainted just from remembering his college days. One morning, Grantaire had woken up sick but (highly against Joly’s orders for the record) he went to class anyway. He rummaged through Enjolras’s medicine cabinet and only found NyQuil. Then on his walk to the campus, stopped at a coffee shop and got a black coffee, as well as a Five Hour Energy. When he walked into class, the girl that sat besides him gawked at him as he sat down.

“Dude, what are you _on?_ Your pupils are the size of fucking quarters.”

He’s ascended the astral plane many other times when trying to cram and study the night before finals and other times when actually taking the tests. Just looking at the thick stack and the red grading pen Enjolras had in his hand made him physically sick.

“Mmm, I know. I got the same feeling,” Enjolras said when he saw Grantaire’s face. Although Grantaire highly doubted Enjolras actually did, not to the full extent anyway. Mr. A+ always did his shit months in advance and was constantly correcting or rewriting it until it was due.

“I'll leave you to it,” Grantaire placed a firm hand on Enjolras’s shoulder and rubbed his back with his thumb. He kissed the top of his scalp and stayed long enough to hear a quiet groan roll from the back of Enjolras’s throat. He left Enjolras to his mess.

Grantaire fished out his phone and created a group chat, switching his phone to silent just so Enjolras wouldn't hear the notifications.

 

**_Grantaire: we should hang out. Tomorrow @ the mall?_ **

 

**_Cosette: Sure_ **

 

**_Combeferre: ok_ **

 

**_Éponine: i could squeeze that in i guess_ **

 

**_Grantaire: what else you have planned?_ **

 

**_Éponine: nothing,, i'll see you then_ **

 

Grantaire snorted and stuffed his phone back in his pocket.

 

* * *

 

The food court in the mall wasn't as busy as Grantaire expected, which had its good and bad sides. Combeferre turned up early, as usual, and the two girls trickled in from a store they'd been in before the two boys even got there. Éponine carried a drink in her hand while Cosette sported a pink shopping bag. They all sat down at a table, making mindless chatter till Éponine caught a glimpse of Grantaire’s anxious face and spoke up.

“What's up with the mini meeting?” She asked.

Grantaire opened his mouth to speak, thousands of butterflies, more like birds, flapping wildly in his stomach. But before he could get a word out Cosette wiggled in her seat.

“No!” She gasped. Her hands covered her mouth; Combeferre and Éponine looking at her like she was crazy. “You're gonna propose to my brother?!”

And that’s how they ended up in an engagement store, browsing different rings. They had spread out all over the store, everything going according to Grantaire’s ‘plan’. He’d assembled his team accordingly: 

Cosette was there because she was Enjolras’s sister and the closest Grantaire was going to get to a family member of Enjolras’s. The relationship between him and his parents had grown thin over the years and it was practically radio silence from both ends at this point. Combeferre was there because he was Enjolras’s best friend and knew him the longest and, arguably, the best. Grantaire had been with Enjolras for a while, since their last year of college, but he needed Combeferre there because it was easy to find doubt within himself when making decisions. Éponine was probably the most important out of all of them though. She dragged Grantaire to a meeting and from the moment the he saw the young god, lips red with passion, he knew he’d be the death of him. She was the reason they’d met in the first place and this was Grantaire’s way of saying ‘thank-you-for-introducing-me-to-the-best-thing-that’s-ever-happened-to-me’.

“Enj is really simplistic. Nothing crazy big or anything,” Cosette said as she waved her arms in front of her like she was giving a warning, her own engagement ring glittering in the light as she moved.

“I wanna know,” Combeferre asked Cosette. “How’d you know Grantaire was going to propose?” 

“He had that look Marius had when he brought up the subject of marriage. It’s part nervousness, part confidence, and a whoooooole lot of panic.” Her bracelets clinked together as she spoke.

Éponine scoffed, “sounds like Marius on a normal day.”

Cosette playfully hit her arm as they moved their heads from one selection of rings to another. The whole time Combeferre shadowed behind the two girls, he kept checking his phone, maybe for the time. Maybe ring shopping just wasn’t his thing? Maybe he had somewhere to be? Whatever it was, Grantaire got a little antsy and decided maybe going to a different store because nothing here caught his eye so far.

“How’re you gonna propose? That could help you decide better.” Combeferre asked, the corner of his mouth tugging into a smirk.

“I was thinking right after sex.”

“Classy,” Cosette mumbled as she gave Grantaire a long side-eye glance.  

Éponine jumped and patted Combeferre on the shoulder, “what about this?!”

Grantaire walked over and tried to follow Éponine’s finger through the glass. It was a thin silver band with three small, oval shaped white opals sitting right next to each other. It was simple, and beautiful, and perfect. Grantaire flagged down a worker and asked if she could take it out of the case. Somehow it looked better when it wasn’t seen through glass; like somehow the colors were more vibrant yet still very pastel. 

He left the store very happy, and with a tiny box in his hand.

 

* * *

 

Grantaire had just taken a hot shower and hour or so ago, to wash off any charcoal or paint he might of gotten in himself, which meant his skin was tingling with warmth and demanding physical contact. Enjolras was in bed reading when he walked in. Grantaire would never get used to the weak feeling in his knees when he saw Enjolras like this, the lamp making his hair seem like pure gold and his thick rimmed glasses perched lightly on the tip of his nose. He always looked like an angel, a god really.

A bubbly feeling went right to Grantaire’s stomach, a small voice in his head telling him to get the small, secret box he had tucked away in his nightstand. Enjolras hadn’t noticed him yet, or if he had, he hadn’t said anything. Either way, Grantaire was left with a couple seconds to think on whether he should pop the question now or later. He stepped forward, Enjolras’s head turning and smiling when he saw Grantaire.

_Now, now, now._

The mahogany wooden floor creaked softly as he walked into the room, the plush, white sheets on the bed looking more of a light cream color from the lamp’s glow. Enjolras set his book down on his nightstand and kept his smile on Grantaire as he placed a knee on the bed and crawled over to him. His eyes closed as they kissed. Sweet and delicate and very nostalgic of the first time they’d ever kissed.

 

**+**

 

It was movie night for the Les Amis and Courfeyrac had offered his and Enjolras’s apartment up for the occasion that time around. Grantaire had been nursing a bruised bottom lip from a fight he’d gotten into and to cheer him up, Éponine demanded he come.

“Grantaire, you’re tall.” Enjolras had said to him as he was making the snacks. “Can you reach up and get the popcorn, it’s in the top shelf since we bought it last week and never used it.”

He happily obliged and flicked the light to the pantry on. As he reached for the popcorn box, his shirt lifted a little off of his hips showing just the smallest sliver of skin. Whether he did that on purpose, he’d never tell.

When he turned back around, Enjolras was right next to him, the only thing between them was the unpopped popcorn packet. Enjolras brought his hand up to Grantaire’s lip, gently smoothing over his bruise with the side of his thumb. Grantaire’s breath hitching quietly, not from pain but because Enjolras was _touching him._

That was when he kissed him, with caution for the bruise Grantaire sported. It was soft and gentle and probably healed his lip more than any ice pack.

 

**+**

 

“What’s up my love?” Enjolras asked as he pulled away.

Grantaire smirked, he knew Enjolras used that nickname when he thought Grantaire’s depression had hit again. His assumption couldn’t be more wrong.

“Nothing. I just…” Grantaire scooted to his side of the bed and opened the bedside drawer, the box nestled neatly inside. He took it out and put his hand behind his back as he crawled over to Enjolras. He straddled his legs over top the sheets. “I've been thinking a lot about us.”

Enjolras smirked but saw the swell of emotion in Grantaire’s eyes. He looked like he might cry, “don't tell me you're breaking up with me.”

Grantaire laughed and batted away potential tears. “No love. This is different.” He scooted back so Enjolras could shift his legs again, both of them at eye level now even if Grantaire was taller. He was about to talk about how much Enj meant to him and how he could never live without him or his wonderful cooking abilities, when a part of him froze.

_What if Enjolras didn't want to marry me? What if it’s too early or he doesn’t see a future with me at all? What if I’m just a very very long fling he’s having? What if-_

_No, no--no backing out now. Just speak._

Grantaire took a deep breath, smiled, and continued. “I feel like...if I launch myself into a speech on how I truly feel, I'll end up crying and that's _not_ how I want this to be remembered, so I'll cut it short. You mean the absolute world to me and I couldn’t have ever imagined I’d ever get to do this.”

Grantaire brought the box forward and opened it.

“Enjolras, will you marry me?”

Enjolras froze, his eyes on the ring in the box. His face showed no emotion, which scared Grantaire to pieces.

“No…” he gasped.

“Wait wha-”

“Move!” Enjolras demanded, a smile sprouting on his face.

Grantaire shifted on their bed, holding back a wave of emotion by shear will. His head followed Enjolras as he got up and quickly left the room, the sweater he was wearing bouncing with every step he took. He didn't have time to let his heart break because the sound of bare feet pouncing on the floor came bellowing back. Enjolras entered the room with a smile that stretched a mile long. He jumped up on the bed, his golden hair flopping in front of his face. 

He had a navy blue box in his hand.

“I was going to wait till your birthday but since you beat me to it. Grantaire, will you marry me?”

**Author's Note:**

> Bonus:
> 
> There was a buzzing sound from Combeferre’s phone on one of the wooden tables. He flipped it face up and unlocked it, his fingers tapping lightly on the screen before shutting it off.
> 
> “Looks like we don't have to buy doves and an ice sculpture anymore,” he said as he looked over at Éponine. They were sitting in the Musain’s old and worn booths, Courfeyrac and Cosette ordering drinks at the counter. 
> 
> “Ha, good ‘cause I wasn’t gonna buy them anyway. I love R, but Enjolras was out of his goddamn mind.” Éponine took a swallow of the drink in front of her.
> 
> “Imagine the actual wedding,” Combeferre smirked. Éponine rolled her eyes so far back, she swore she could see her brain.
> 
> -
> 
> You can find me [here](http://queersunflowers.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr! Thank you for reading <3


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